Data Storage Device with Secure Access Based on Motions of the Data Storage Device

1. A portable external hard drive configured to repurpose an accelerometer sensor or a shock sensor of the portable external hard drive for detecting falls to also validate user inputs without using any input hardware other than the accelerometer sensor or the shock sensor, the portable external hard drive comprising: an enclosure without a touch sensitive input device and without a display screen; a data interface configured to removably connect to and transfer data to a computing device; a non-volatile memory comprising a head and a platter located within the enclosure and configured to store data; a set of sensor devices, including the accelerometer sensor or the shock sensor, located within the enclosure having a first purpose of triggering parking of the head to prevent damage to the platter; and a controller coupled to the non-volatile memory and the set of sensor devices, wherein the controller is configured to: park the head in a safe position while waiting for input from a user; utilize the set of sensor devices for a second purpose of detecting a first set of motions for accessing the non-volatile memory; determine whether the first set of motions detected by the set of sensor devices is valid by at least: identifying a set of pauses between the first set of motions, each pause comprising a duration of time where no changes are detected in an x-axis, a y-axis, or a z-axis of the portable external hard drive; and matching time durations of pauses in the set of pauses with time durations of a recorded set of pauses previously provided by the user; in response to determining that the first set of motions is valid, allow access to read from or write to a first portion of the non-volatile memory by the computing device via the data interface, the first portion associated with a first user; and in response to determining that a second set of motions is valid, allow access to read from or write to a second portion of the non-volatile memory by the computing device, the second portion associated with a second user.

2. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first set of motions is valid further comprises: determining whether a set of changes in orientation is valid.

3. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first set of motions is valid further comprises: determining whether a set of movements of the portable external hard drive through a three-dimensional space are valid.

4. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein determining whether the first set of motions is valid further comprises: determining whether a timing pattern of the first set of motions is valid.

5. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: generate a one-time password; and determine whether the second set of motions is valid based on the one-time password.

6. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the second set of motions is detected by the computing device.

7. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a set of speeds of the first set of motions; and allow access to the non-volatile memory further based on the set of speeds.

8. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to allow read access to the non-volatile memory by: decrypting at least a portion of the non-volatile memory.

9. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein: the data interface comprises a direct-access interface configured to connect to the computing device via a connection cable; and the controller is configured to allow access to read from or write to the non-volatile memory by the computing device by allowing data to be communicated via the direct-access interface.

10. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein: the data interface comprises a network-access interface configured to communicate with the computing device via a network; and the controller is configured to allow access to read from or write to the non-volatile memory by the computing device by allowing data to be communicated via the network-access interface.

11. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: prevent access to read from or write to the non-volatile memory by the computing device in response to determining that the first set of motions is invalid.

12. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a number of access attempts in response to determining that the first set of motions is invalid; and delete data stored on the non-volatile memory in response to determining that the number of access attempts exceeds a threshold.

13. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to: determine a number of access attempts in response to determining that the first set of motions is invalid; and encrypt at least a portion of the non-volatile memory in response to determining that the number of access attempts exceeds a threshold.

14. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the second set of motions is detected by the set of sensor devices.

15. The portable external hard drive of claim 1 , wherein the portable external hard drive lacks a touch-sensitive input device.

16. A method for repurposing a set of sensors of a portable external hard drive, the portable external hard drive not having a touch sensitive input device and not having a display screen, the set of sensors comprising an accelerometer sensor or a shock sensor, the set of sensors having a primary purpose of triggering parking of a head to prevent damage to a platter of the portable external hard drive, the method comprising: receiving, by the portable external hard drive, a connection to a computing device; parking the head in a safe position while waiting for input from a user; utilizing the set of sensors for a secondary purpose of detecting a first set of motions for accessing the portable external hard drive; determining whether the first set of motions is valid by at least: identifying a set of pauses between the first set of motions, each pause comprising a duration of time where no changes are detected in an x-axis, a y-axis, or a z-axis of the portable external hard drive; and matching time durations of pauses in the set of pauses with time durations of a recorded set of pauses previously provided by the user; in response to determining that the first set of motions is valid, allowing access to read from or write to a first portion of a non-volatile memory of the portable external hard drive by a computing device, the first portion associated with a first user; and in response to determining that a second set of motions is valid, allowing access to read from or write to a second portion of the non-volatile memory by the computing device, the second portion associated with a second user.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining whether the first set of motions is valid further comprises: determining whether a set of changes in orientation is valid.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining whether the first set of motions is valid further comprises: determining whether a set of movements of the portable external hard drive through a three-dimensional space are valid.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein determining whether the first set of motions is valid further comprises: determining whether a timing pattern of the first set of motions is valid.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: generating a one-time password; determining whether a second set of motions is valid based on the one-time password; and allowing access to the non-volatile memory further in response to determining that the second set of motions is valid.

21. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: determining whether a second set of motions detected by the computing device is valid; and allowing access to the non-volatile memory further in response to determining that the second set of motions is valid.

22. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: determining a set of speeds of the first set of motions; and allowing access to the non-volatile memory further based on the set of speeds.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein allowing read or write access to the non-volatile memory comprises: allowing read access by decrypting at least a portion of the non-volatile memory.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein allowing read or write access to the non-volatile memory comprises: allowing data to be communicated via a direct-access interface of the portable external hard drive or a network-access interface of the portable external hard drive.

25. The method of claim 16 , further comprising: preventing access to read from or write to the non-volatile memory by the computing device in response to determining that the first set of motions is invalid.

26. A portable external hard drive configured to repurpose an accelerometer sensor or a shock sensor of the portable external hard drive for detecting falls to also validate user inputs without using any input hardware other than the accelerometer sensor or the shock sensor, the portable external hard drive comprising: an enclosure without a touch sensitive input device and without a display screen; a data interface configured to removably connect to and transfer data to an external computing device; means for storing data comprising a head and a platter; means for triggering parking of the head to prevent damage to the platter, the means for triggering comprising the accelerometer sensor or the shock sensor; means for determining whether a first set of motions is valid by at least: parking the head in a safe position while waiting for input from a user; utilizing the means for triggering parking of the head for a second purpose of detecting a set of motions for accessing the means for storing data; identifying a set of pauses between the first set of motions, each pause comprising a duration of time where no changes are detected in an x-axis, a y-axis, or a z-axis of the portable external hard drive; and matching time durations of pauses in the set of pauses with time durations of a recorded set of pauses previously provided by a user; and means for allowing access to read from or write to the means for storing data by the external computing device, the means for allowing access configured to: in response to determining that the first set of motions is valid, providing access to a first portion of the means for storing data; and in response to determining that a second set of motions is valid, providing access to a second portion of the means for storing data.